Graduate Trainee Stipend Program
The Graduate Trainee Stipend Program financially supports master's-level students during their advanced practicum or internship experiences that serve rural, under-resourced, or justice-involved communities. To be eligible to apply, students must have confirmed practicum or internship experiences, be in good academic standing, and intend to practice in Nebraska after graduation.
Student Eligibility Requirements
Students must meet the following four requirements to be eligible:
Master’s-level students must be enrolled in one of the following programs:
- Bellevue University MS Clinical Mental Health
- Chadron State College MAE Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Crown College MA in Counseling
- Doane MA in Counseling w/a specialty in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Nebraska Wesleyan University Master of Social Work
- UNK MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- UNL MA Counseling Psychology - Community Counseling Track
- UNL MS Marriage & Family Therapy
- UNMC MS Applied Behavior Analysis
- UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work Master of Social Work
- UNO MS Applied Behavior Analysis
- UNO MS in Counseling with a Concentration in CMHC
- Wayne State College MSE Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Certain academic programs may require a practicum and internship experience as part of the coursework. This program is intended to support the final direct experience required by the academic program. This experience usually occurs as a combination of all internship or practicum courses during the final semester(s) before graduation.
Students are responsible for developing their practicum or internship experience and ensuring the experience is confirmed before applying for this program. Eligible sites and experiences must serve one or more of the following populations in Nebraska.
Rural Workforce Shortage Areas
Experiences in this category should be in or serving communities in rural mental health professional shortage areas.
Under-Resourced
Experiences in this category should be at the following facility types:
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
- Community Mental Health Centers
- Federally Qualified Health Centers
- Nonprofit Social Services Agencies
- Veterans Affairs Clinics
Justice-Involved
Experiences in this category should be at the following facility types:
- Department of Correctional Services Facilities
- Nebraska County Correctional Facilities
- Nebraska Regional Centers
- Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers
To align with BHECN’s mission, students applying to this program must intend to practice in Nebraska after graduating from their academic program.
Stipend Payments
Students accepted into this program will receive a $15,000 stipend. Stipends will be distributed over the length of the experience through monthly payments.
A student’s supervisor(s) may be eligible for a $5,000 stipend upon completion of the experience. Only $5,000 is allocated per student to support their supervision. If a student completes their practicum or internship at multiple locations or has more than one supervisor, the $5,000 will be distributed between the supervisors accordingly.
Applying for the Program
Applications for this program are accepted three times a year. Applications submitted outside of the application cycle timeframes will not be considered. Students should apply for this program during the academic term before they are enrolled in their final practicum or internship experience. Students currently enrolled in practicum or internship courses who have already started completing hours are not eligible to apply.
Interested students are encouraged to review the Application Questions Guide before applying.
Access the application and FAQs
Click here to access the application and review the next application cycle dates.
Read answers to some frequently asked questions about the Graduate Trainee Stipend Program below.